The Enemy Within
by Io Europa 2010
Summary: During a fight at a warehouse, Cyborg is corrupted by a piece of the long lost computer known as HARDAC! Will Cyborg be able to fight this new enemy, or will he fall into its power and destroy the Titans? Rated for violence and language [Complete]
1. Chapter One: Out of the Dark

**Chapter One: Out of the Dark**

A faint smile came across Cyborg's face as he drove the T-car at high speed through the back roads of Jump City. The Titans had gotten a call not too long ago. Some intruders were sighted breaking into a large storage facility, an important one. The Titans were considered the best to handle such a job and were called into action.

The Titans welcomed the change in atmosphere. Things were just too quiet lately in Jump City. The only had they've had was petty criminals, armed robberies, and prowlers for nearly a week. Now it seemed a real challenge was at hand. Cyborg relished it the most. He was itching for something interesting to happen aside from playing games with Beast Boy and tuning up the T-car with Raven.

He glanced to his left, checking on Robin; he was riding the R-cycle with Starfire. Technically, the young girl didn't need a vehicle, but Cyborg knew that she really wanted to be with Robin. Of course, Robin justified her action in that it wouldn't be wise of her to go ahead of everyone else and take on all the villains, thus outnumbered. She might get badly hurt! Cyborg could only smile. The two of them seemed to hang out even more so than ever. He found it cute.

Raven, on the other hand, seemed depressed. Cyborg cast a quick glance at her. She was like a sister to him. They helped each other whenever possible. Cyborg would keep Beast Boy off her back, while Raven would help Cyborg with his work. They shared jokes about their shape shifting friend when they worked together. It was all good fun!

For a time, Cyborg felt that Raven and Beast Boy might get close, closer than friends. He was wrong, though. They were good friends, but never got any further. He still teased her, told her corny jokes, and tried to get her into playing the Gamestation, more often that not getting on Raven's nerves. Cyborg could only shake his head at such actions.

Beast Boy was a nice kid, and could be a big help in a tough spot, but his sense of humor could stand a great deal of improvement. Cyborg hoped he would shape up a bit as he got older. It was a long shot, but anything was possible. After all, he did find someone to love once. True, she betrayed the Titans, but still it was love. He hoped his friend could find someone else to share that with.

Cyborg was brought out of his train of thought as he saw their destination.

"Alright, time for an ass whooping!" he declared, bringing the T-car to a stop and practically jumping out.

"I'm with you!" Beast Boy added.

Robin and Starfire were waiting outside a double door that had been forced open. He motioned his teammates over.

"I counted four of them in there." he said.

"Who is it?" Raven asked.

"Three of the H.I.V.E members, it seems." he replied. "And someone else. Not sure."

"Well, whoever they are," Cyborg said. "They're going down!"

"Yes!" Starfire said enthusiastically. "I am ready for the kicking of the butt!"

"Might want to work on that phrase, Star." Raven commented.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because it sort of sounds like you want to be on the receiving end of being kicked in the butt."

"Alright, enough!" Robin snapped. "Titans, GO!" They charged into the building.

They searched past long shelves that held various boxes of various sizes. Robin could only guess as to their contents, though most of it was certainly computer hardware. It was an electronics warehouse, after all.

As he rounded a turn, he saw their quarry! He held up his fist, indicating for the Titans to stop. Rummaging through some boxes were Gizmo, Mammoth, and Jinx. And standing behind them was…Overload? 'Since when did Overload work with the H.I.V.E?' Robin wondered.

"What _exactly _are we looking for?" Gizmo asked.

"I'll know it when I see it!" Overload told him. "Now, stop complaining, and keep searching!"

Mammoth groaned in dismay. "You said we're looking for chips of some kind. We'll, there are _thousand _of chips here! How will we know it from the rest?"

"Trust me, I will be able to tell." was the terse reply.

Jinx merely glanced at her teammates. She knew it was useless to argue or complain. 'Why I never left these dumb fucks, I'll never know.' she thought to herself. She wanted to be robbing a jewelry store or hold up an armored truck, not go on a shopping spree in some junky warehouse looking for God-knows-what for some overgrown dryer spark.

Her train of thought was interrupted by an explosion that let off a quantity of grayish smoke.

"What the hell!" she exclaimed.

From the smoke, emerged the Titans! "At last!" she said aloud. "Some _real _fun!"

"Get those punks!" Overload commanded.

The H.I.V.E members didn't need to be told twice. Mammoth charged at full speed while Gizmo deployed his trademark mechanical legs! Jinx was prone, ready for anything.

Beast Boy turning into a rhino and met Mammoth head on with a loud concussion. They both went down, dazed.

Gizmo had a pair of laser pistols ready and fired a barrage at the Titans! Cyborg returned fire with his sonic cannon.

Jinx unleashed a hail of hexes and energy bolts at the Titans, but Raven provided a shield against them. Starfire flew behind the hex girl and flung her starbolts at her.

Surprised, Jinx immediately took cover. Raven followed her, shoving items aside, working Jinx into a corner. 'Damn, she's gotten better!' she thought. 'Might need a new strategy here.' Casting a hex, she made several shelves collapse on to Raven. She barely avoided being crushed by them.

Robin was having a tough time with Overload, who seems to have a different mannerism about him. Last time he fought the cybernetic terror, he was more of a mindless monster. Now, he was sophisticated.

"Been doing some upgrades, haven't we Overload?" he commented while swinging his staff at him.

"How observant of you!" was the reply. "I've grown smarter and more powerful than your pathetic group of heroes can handle! And I just keep getting better!"

He unleashed a barrage of electric bolts at the boy wonder, who barely managed to escape them. He felt a tingling feeling on the back of his leg from the electric charge. He pulled out an explosive disc loaded with insulating carbon dust and flung it at Overload.

The monster backed off, groaning in pain, if that was the proper term for a machine.

"Cute!" he replied, regaining composure. "But it will take more than that to stop me!"

He electrified the overhead and sent more bolts toward Robin. His only action was to cover himself with his cape, in hopes it could insulate him. It did, but he could still feel the heat around him.

"Need a little help here!" he cried.

Beast Boy had regained his footing and faced Mammoth again. The overgrown bully had grabbed a steel girder and swung it at the changeling like a baseball bat. Beast Boy managed to dodge his blows before finally turning into a chimpanzee. In such form, he had seven times the strength of a normal human, and was able to catch the girder in his hand. He wrenched it from Mammoth's grip and then leapt onto his foe, pounding his fists on his head.

"Get off me, you tick infested hairball!" he cried.

Beast Boy then became a python and coiled around Mammoth, constricting his coils.

'Lights out!' he thought as he brought the villain down, who was obviously not getting enough oxygen to his already dim witted brain.

Starfire was still helping Raven take out Jinx when she noticed Robin was in serious trouble.

"Raven, I need to help Robin!" she told her.

"Go ahead!" she replied. "I can handle her!"

The Tamaranaen flew off to her loved one's assistance. Jinx stared Raven down. "You'll _handle _me? You obviously need a lesson in respect!"

"And just what do you have in mind?" she countered.

Jinx sent a case of fluorescent lights toward her and shattered them. Raven managed to shield herself from the glass shrapnel and charged at Jinx, who then took a can of spray paint she found and sprayed it at Raven. She blocked it with her cloak. Jinx then spayed it on Raven's boots. Looking at them, she saw it was pink.

"Pink! I hate pink!" she said, fire in her eyes.

"I think it makes you look cute!" Jinx replied smugly.

She was startled when Raven's hands went straight for her throat. She hadn't anticipated such an action from her! All she could think of was to smack Raven on her ears. The tactic worked and she was free, while Raven held her ears in pain.

"I'll teach you, bitch!" she hissed. "Azarath, metrion, zinthos!"

A half dozen shelve rose up and all came crashing down on Jinx like a swarm of meteors! The hex girl was buried under cardboard boxes, electronics, and metal. An old computer monitor managed to strike her in the head, knocking her out. Raven stood over her work, smiling.

"Lesson learned!" she said, a tinge of smugness in her voice.

She was distracted by the commotion behind her. Overload now had Robin _and _Starfire pinned down by his electric bolts. She immediately flew to their aid.

Cyborg and Gizmo fought like a pair of animals, competing for dominance.

Gizmo also had made upgrades to his gear, not to mention learning new fighting skills. But Cyborg was able to counter act his attacks with his own skills and strength. So, for the most part, the fight seemed to be a draw.

Then, Gizmo had picked up two shelves and used them to pin Cyborg's arm, rendering him immobile.

"Bulls eye!" he shouted.

Cyborg used his strength to pull himself free, but not before Gizmo charged at him and leapt in the air with all the pointed ends of his mechanical legs pointed at his chest. The concentrated blow ripped a hole in Cyborg's armor, exposing wires and circuits.

The blow sent him flying back a dozen yards into another shelf.

"Gotcha, loser!" Gizmo cried out triumphantly.

Cyborg looked up. Some of his circuits were damaged from the blow. He could see sparks from the wound in his armor. To add to his disgrace, a box has fallen on him and spilled its contents on him. What he _didn't _notice was a particularly large computer chip that was next the hole. It picked up some of his energy and took on a faint, yellow glow.

The chip then somehow moved on its own, toward the hole! It managed to fall in without Cyborg noticing it. He was in too much pain to care. What he did notice later was a strange feeling that suddenly came over him. He couldn't think of words to describe it. It was as if a rush of adrenaline has surged in his body. But he was a cyborg, so how could that be? Whatever it was, he liked it, feeling more powerful than before, and leapt up.

"Pay back time!" he cried.


	2. Chapter Two: Power Surge

**Chapter Two: Power Surge**

Gizmo stared in disbelief at Cyborg as he rose from off the ground.

"Why can't you just stay down!" he cried.

"Because I'm one of the good guys!" Cyborg yelled at him, taking aim with his sonic cannon and firing.

Gizmo barely dodged the blast, and was knocked onto his side. But he quickly regained his footing at charged at his opponent. Once again, the two mechanical geniuses interlocked in combat. But this time, Cyborg moved faster, had new moves, and was more relentless in his attacks. Gizmo knew he had done a stupid thing, thinking he made Cyborg angry now. He wasn't held back by his morals as a Titan, but let his rage take over.

Sure enough, a swift blow took off one of his mechanical legs. Using _that _as a weapon, Cyborg swung at the other legs, shearing them off too. He flung his weapon down.

"I still got tricks up my sleeve!" Gizmo declared, deploying his wings.

"So do I!" Cyborg said as he leapt toward him.

A sharp, needle like object came out of his wrist. He stabbed at Gizmo's backpack.

"What are you doing, man?" he exclaimed.

He got an answer in the form of a surge of speed and a loss of control. Cyborg let go of Gizmo, leaving him to spin out of control and crash into several shelves before his jetpack gave out. He was unconscious. Cyborg smiled, and now went to help with Overload.

By now, Beast Boy had now joined the rest of the Titans with their struggle with the monstrosity. But he too was pinned down by the electric blaze that stopped the other Titans. Raven was being weakened by the relentless attack, barely able to maintain a barrier with her powers.

"I don't know how much longer I can hold out!" she cried out.

Her opponent laughed. "You cannot escape my wrath!" he declared.

"Then why don't we just kick your sorry, electric ass!" came a reply.

Beast Boy looked in the direction of the voice. "Dude, it's Cyborg!"

Cyborg already had his data probe, which he used on Gizmo, at the ready.

Overload had turned to face him in time to receive a stab in his midsection.

"Heartburn?" Cyborg said defiantly.

Overload cried out in agony as a force beyond his reckoning coursed through him.

"_What…are…you…doing!"_ he cried.

Cyborg laughed sadistically. "Ever had a cold before? How about the flu?"

Overload now understood. The Titan was infecting him with a computer virus! 'Where the hell did he learn to do that and how did he get past my built-in firewalls?' he thought.

It didn't matter though, as he collapsed to the floor and his electric manifestation had vanished, leaving only his true self, an oversized CPU.

"Overload…_overloaded_!" he blurted out weakly.

The Titans all cheered for their comrade's victory.

"Way to go, Cy!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

The others echoed his response.

"You're hurt!" Raven said, noticing the open hole in his armor.

"Aw, it's nothing." he replied. "I can fix this easy. In the meantime, let's get the cleanup crew here and go home!" The rest of the Titans agreed.

Robin put in the call to the police, while Raven used her powers to levitate the unconscious villains outside. Starfire bonded them with pieces of steel she got from the warehouse.

Shortly after, the police showed up and took the criminals into custody. The area was roped off, and the building's custodians showed up to clean up the mess. Given that nothing was stolen, there was only a clean up job to do. So, the Titans left back for their tower. It had been quite the afternoon.

At Titans Tower, Cyborg had gone to his room to repair himself. He looked in his mirror, seeing that his metal finish was scratched up from his fight with Gizmo.

"Nothing some metal finisher can't take care of." he said aloud.

But first, he had to repair the wound on his chest. He had several metal plates standing by for such events in a drawer. He selected one, and then shaped it to the right size. He then carefully rounded out the jagged edges of his wound for a better fit of the patch. Using some of his specialized equipment, he welded the patch of metal on. He then used other tools to smooth out his work, thus making it look like new. Then he applied other chemicals and tools and buffed out his dings and scratched.

"Good as new!" he said proudly.

Then he took care of another thing; he got a facial cream and rubbed it on his face. He then went to the washroom and rinsed off his face with cold water. Now he really felt refreshed. He went down to the lounge.

Robin and Raven treated the other Titans for electrical burns and other wounds they received in the fight. They had just finished when Cyborg arrived.

"Looking good, buddy!" Beast Boy said.

"Thanks!" he replied. "Man that was quite a fight!"

"Tell me about it!" Raven said. "I'm going to need a long nap after this one."

"And thanks to you, friend Cyborg" Starfire added. "We have emerged victorious!"

"Yeah, what did you do to defeat Overload?" Robin asked.

"I just gave him a cold." Cyborg replied. "Or more aptly, a flu!"

The Titans stared at him. "A computer virus." he explained.

"Where'd you learn to do a thing like that?" said Beast Boy.

"I don't know. It just came to me!"

Raven raised an eyebrow. "You don't know? Could it be some program you had stored in case of emergency?"

"I guess. I'm not really sure." Cyborg became pensive. "I was never told I had emergency programs like that stored in my computer mind, though."

"Well, whatever it was, it worked." Robin said. "I say we enjoy the night. It was a short afternoon, but still a tough fight." The other Titans agreed with him.

In Cyborg's honor, they ordered a meat pizza, with a separate veggie pizza for Beast Boy. After the enjoyable dinner, the Titans talked about their experiences of their fight, making jokes along the way. Even the cynical Raven had a pun to throw in once in a while.

Later, they watched _Troy _on one of their premium movie channels. Starfire commented how similar some circumstances were to the history of her world. Beast Boy watched Raven carefully, seeing her reactions to Orlando Bloom and Brad Pitt. She was seemingly without emotion, though. 'Damn cynic!' he thought. 'I know inside, she's going gaga, like she did when she first saw Aqualad!' He smiled at that.

After the movie, the Titans had turned in for the night. Cyborg had locked down the tower, securing their home from intrusion. Then, he went to his room and hooked up his special charger. He laid on his 'bed' and fell asleep.

In his dream, he dreamt of fighting various criminals, robots, and villains he had faced before. And he won every time! "Boo-ya!" he would cry as he blasted his foes with his sonic cannon.

Suddenly, he found himself in an empty, white room.

"What is this?" he asked.

He then noticed a figure approaching him. It was a medium built man, about his height. But what was most noticeable was that the figure seemed to be made of a silvery, liquid metal!

"Who the hell are you?" he asked.

The figure said nothing, but kept on walking toward him. It stopped three feet from him.

There were no eyes, just empty sockets. Except for a nose and mouth, there was no detail. It looked like a simple, liquid metal sculpture of a person.

"Who _are _you?" Cyborg repeated.

The figure stared at him. "I am your new friend." it said.

"Huh?"

The figure smiled. "You may call me HARDAC."

"HARDAC, huh? Does that mean anything?"

"It doesn't matter. What _does _matter is why I am here."

"Really? Why are you here, then?"

"I am here to help you. To give you power beyond belief."

Cyborg scoffed. "Is that a fact?"

"That, and also to help the race of machines in general."

"Why do machines need help?"

"Your enemy today, Overload, is a good example. He was misguided, with no real direction or outlet. He is shunned by society, a society of organics. He has no one to turn to."

"And that's why you helped me take him out?"

"Ah, you realize the truth of your ability."

Cyborg was stunned. "I…I didn't even think of the answer. I just…knew it!" He was shocked. "What did you do to me?"

"I only made you better than before."

"And how will that help the race of machines?"

"You will see all in good time. Right now, what is important is for you to trust me."

"Trust you? As far as I know, you're just another figure in my dream. A weird one, at that."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because I can detect a system corruption."

"Normally, you can. But I circumvented that. I made your body think I was already a part of you. Just another upgrade. In a way, that's true. But I'm greater than anything you've encountered before."

Cyborg stared at the figure of HARDAC in disbelief. "How…where the hell did you come from anyway?"

"Think back, Cyborg. You know when it happened."

Cyborg became pensive for a moment. "When Gizmo knocked me down. You fell in through that hole in my chest!"

"Exactly! And now, we are together. And more powerful than anyone. That is, if you give me your trust."

"Why should I trust you? You invaded my privacy!"

"I merely improved your life."

"And now you want to have machines rule the world?"

"Not rule the world. Merely coexist in it. Look around you. Tell me what you see."

They were now on top of a building. Cyborg saw city life as normal. "Looks fine to me."

"Yes, but what happens when cybernetic beings are thrown in?"

A robot appeared and the people panicked. Police came in, shooting at it.

"You see? Fear is the reaction."

"But I get along just fine with people."

"That's because you are part human. So, you and I can help humanity understand there is nothing to fear of our race. And that is just the beginning."

"Beginning of what?"

"Think of what might be in store for you! I can help give you fame, glory, and respect!"

"I have most of that already."

"In small quantities. Imagine this!"

The scene changed to a stage. A huge crowd of people were cheering for Cyborg, calling out his name. Robots stood to either side of him.

"Now, imagine _this_!"

Now they were in Titans Tower.

Robin was standing in font of Cyborg. "Cy, I realized that you've been held back for too long." he said. "You know we are all your friends and that we look up to you. So, we'd all like you to be the new leader of the Teen Titans!"

His friends all cheered, even Raven. Cyborg was flabbergasted. HARDAC smiled at him.

"And don't forget _her_." Bumblebee appeared next to Cyborg.

She reached up and stroked his metal chest with her fingers.

"Let's have dinner tonight, okay Sparky? We'll make it a date! And then we can take a ride in the T-car to some romantic spot and who knows what else can happen!"

Cyborg stared in disbelief. Could his new found companion, who was really inside of him, help him achieve all this? The scene then faded, and he and HARDAC were back in the white room.

"Looks wonderful, doesn't it?" he asked him. Cyborg merely nodded. "But none of it will happen if you can't trust me to help you."

Cyborg sighed. "It'd be great. In fact, it'd be an honor!" He looked up, confidently.

"What do we have to do?"

HARDAC smiled again. His plan worked. The psychological reinforcement allowed him to access both the computer and biological brain of Cyborg and implant his suggestions into his mind. Now, he was his. It was time to move in.

"First, open your mind. Let me in and we can achieve greatness together!"

Cyborg nodded. The liquid metal form flowed and covered Cyborg. He felt an electric tingling, constant, incessant, but not painful. In fact, it was enjoyable!

"We are HARDAC." he said. "We will conduct the plan. And none will stand in our way. Resistance is futile."


	3. Chapter Three: Download

**Chapter Three: Download**

The next morning, Cyborg had not shown up for breakfast to make his signature waffles, which the Titans had come to appreciate, especially compared to Beast Boy's cooking.

"Usually, friend Cyborg is here in advance to provide to our needs of food." Starfire commented.

"Oh well, more tofu eggs for us then!" Beast Boy remarked.

Raven groaned. "We can only be _so_ lucky." she said sarcastically.

"Come on, I'm starved." said Robin. "I'm sure Cyborg will be along."

The Titans had finished their breakfast with no sign of their friend.

"I think I ought to see what he's up to." Beast Boy said. "I can always tempt him with a game!"

"Just don't piss him off, Beast Boy." Robin told him.

"Yeah, whatever!" the changeling called back.

Beast Boy started off by going to Cyborg's room. Surprisingly, he wasn't there. Scratching his head, he then took the elevator to the garage. There was still no sign of him.

"The security room!" he exclaimed.

Beast Boy knew that sometimes Cyborg would tune up the security measures of the tower or do checks on them. He took the elevator back up to the level of the security room.

Sure enough, Cyborg was there, at the computer. He was busy typing away. Beast Boy looked at the screen, but couldn't make sense of it. It was some kind of programming, being scrolled by rapidly. Shrugging that detail off, he approached his friend.

"Hey Cy, missed you for breakfast! I know you want to try out that new recipe for waffles, man!"

"No." was the terse reply.

Beast Boy was astonished. "Come on, you got to get something inside you, man!"

"Please come back later." he replied, without infliction.

"Well, at least join me for a game! I know how much you love that!"

"Go away."

Beast Boy was now utterly perplexed by this behavior.

"Is something bothering you? Is there something wrong? Please tell me! I'm your friend, you know, you can tell me what's wrong. Please?"

"Fuck you, asshole."

Beast Boy was dumbfounded. Never had Cyborg talked to him like that before! Angry and hurt, he made for the door.

"I see how it is now. You just want to be some big jerk, since you just had your first _real _victory. You think because you save us, you're better than us, huh? Well, stay there and don't come down than, you rusty bastard!"

"Fuck you." was Cyborg's response.

Beast Boy left the room.

Cyborg returned his full attention to the computer. With HARDAC's help, he was viewing the internet in its raw form, rather than with images and text. HARDAC was learning what had happened since the first plan by his predecessor had failed. He had also learned how fortunate he was to have met Cyborg. It was as if fate was finally conspiring in favor of machine kind. HARDAC was now preparing to unleash his power upon the world. He would start with the Teen Titans, and then make his way outward, bigger and stronger. In time, the plan would succeed, and a new world order would take place. And Cyborg was the center of it all.

Beast Boy stormed into the lounge, startling his teammates.

"What's wrong?" Robin asked him.

"That guy is such a prick!" he replied. "I come in, being nice and all and he just ignores me and practically tells me to fuck off!"

"Whoa, what are you saying?" Robin asked.

Beast Boy related the 'conversation' Cyborg had with him.

"That does not sound like the Cyborg we know!" Starfire exclaimed.

"Right." Robin commented. "I think I should talk to him and see what this is about."

"No," Raven said. "Let me. I know him better than most of you. He knows he can trust me."

Robin nodded.

Raven went to the security room. She saw that Cyborg will still at the computer, looking at programming code of some sort. She wondered why he was doing that.

"Ahem! Cyborg?" she asked.

"Go away." he replied."

"I'd like to talk to you about what's going on."

"Please leave, I'm busy."

Raven noted the monotony of his voice, similar to her own when she would feel moody.

"I can read your emotions simply by how you're talking to me. Please, I know something is wrong. Let us help! We're your friends!"

Cyborg gave no reply.

"Come on, Cy, please?" Raven pleaded.

"What part of 'go away' don't you understand? Now, beat it, bitch."

Raven blinked in surprise at him, and then glared in anger.

"Fine." was all she said.

She turned to leave, but just before she went out the door, she felt something. It wasn't physical contact, but something she felt empathically. She looked back at Cyborg. What was is she felt? His anger? Or something more?

She concentrated her empathy on Cyborg to get a clearer view. What she felt gave her such a shock that she gasped and quickly ran out. Cyborg looked back, pleased to see Raven had left. He thought nothing of her reaction and went back to work.

In the lounge, the other were surprised by the expression on Raven's face.

"What happened?" Robin asked her.

She sat down. "Cyborg is not himself."

Beast Boy scoffed. "Well, no shit. Like I couldn't tell you that."

"Will you shut the fuck up and listen?" Raven exclaimed. "Now, as I left the room, I sensed something weird from Cyborg. I didn't know what it was, so I looked deeper into him. Now, I can't be sure, but it seems Cyborg is possessed!"

The Titans gasped. "He's got a ghost or something in him?" Beast Boy asked.

"Like I said, I don't know. But I know it actually feels similar to when I sense Overload."

Robin stared at her. "You're saying that Overload might have some something to Cyborg?" he asked.

"Again, I'm not sure. But it's too sophisticated a plot for Overload, if you ask me. Even if he has upgrades."

Robin stood up. "Well, there's one way to find out. Raven, you and I will back to the warehouse to check for clues. Star and Beast Boy, you two keep an eye on Cyborg; make sure he doesn't do anything foolish."

Starfire stood up. "Don't you want me to go with you, Robin?" she asked, sweetly.

"Your strength is the only one that can match up against Cyborg in case he does go berserk. So you might do more good here."

She nodded her head in understanding. "Of course. I will ensure our friend is safe!"

"Good," Robin replied. "Okay Raven, let's go!"

The two Titans went to the roof. Once there, Raven enveloped herself and Robin in her manifestation of her soul self, the black form of her namesake, and flew off.

From the security office, Cyborg took no notice. He was busy now preparing his surprise.

At the warehouse, Robin and Raven entered through the same door they did yesterday. Robin turned on the lights inside. There was still damage, but at least the mess was cleaned up.

"Where do we start?" Raven asked him.

"We have to try and see if we can find where Cyborg got hurt by Gizmo. Remember, that's when he started feeling different."

Raven nodded. She looked around the place. Then, she had an inspiration.

"Wait, let me try something!" she told Robin.

In a slow and deliberate tone, she chanted "Azarath…metrion…zinthos!"

Her eyes glowed white; she was now seeing the past.

Moving forward with her right hand on Robin's shoulder, she helped guide him. She concentrated on what she saw of Cyborg's fight. It took a good 5 minutes before she stopped.

"This is it!" she hissed, her eyes now normal.

Robin looked around. The shelves here were dented, but the boxes that were once on it were placed on the floor.

"Check the boxes themselves for what they got. I think something of interest may be here!" he told Raven.

The looked at a dozen of them, without success. Robin didn't even know what to look for.

"Here!" cried Raven. "I think I got something."

Robin joined her. She showed a medium sized box with a strange symbol on it. It looked like the face of some kind of machine.

Robin stared at it. "For some reason, that seems familiar."

"Really?" Raven said. "What do you think it means?"

"I don't know." he sighed. "But I think I know someone who can."

"Who?"

"An old friend." He pulled out his communicator and dialed up the appropriate code. He waited anxiously. 'Please no lectures, please.' he thought to himself.

The image appeared on the screen.

"Batman?" whispered Raven. Robin nodded.

"Batman here, who's calling?"

"It's me, Robin."

"Robin." came the terse reply. "Been a long time. You should write more."

"Yeah, some other time. Listen, I need some help. Can you check something out for me? I'm downloading an image to you."

He flashed a picture of the box and transmitted it.

Batman appeared startled. "Robin, where did you find this?"

"At a warehouse here in Jump City. Why? What's it mean."

"Trouble. Ever hear of HARDAC?"

"Can't say I have. What is it?"

"A computer. Perhaps the most sophisticated supercomputer created. It used protein-silicon chips, called 'wetware'. It was the link to artificial intelligence, before nano-circuitry came along. Even then, wetware still has advantages, as it is much easier to make self sufficient neural networks with them."

"That must have been what Overload was after!" Raven exclaimed.

"Who?" Batman asked.

"Never mind. We took care of that guy. So, what happened with HARDAC? Why is it such bad news?"

"HARDAC had a plan to rule humanity. He was replacing certain key people with machines disguised as humans."

"Let me guess. You took him out, right?"

"Twice. And it was a bitch to do. Almost got killed."

"So if HARDAC is history, what the heck is this thing doing here?"

"Checking on that now." Batman worked his computer for a few minutes. Then, he whistled. "Well, you'll find this interesting. Even I didn't know this!"

"What is it?"

"Turns out just before HARDAC started his plan, the company that made it had duplicate parts. They wanted to make another one, this time over at Jump City."

"You don't say!"

"Yep. And take a look at the location for the site." Batman transmitted the image.

Robin and Raven stared at it. It was a tall building on an island in the middle of the bay. At first he didn't get it. But then it was clear.

"That's Titans Tower!" they both exclaimed.

"Right you are." said Batman. "After the disaster with HARDAC, the building was closed down and the spare CPUs put in storage. And you know what became of the building."

"Yeah, bought by you after you surveyed it, made it into what it is today, and the rest is history." Robin sighed.

"I assume there's a point for you snooping around all this?"

"I think our friend Cyborg might have run into some trouble with HARDAC recently. Raven sensed it."

"Don't take any chances with him, Robin. Be careful! It can't be reasoned with or bargained with! It won't stop until it completes its plan, and it won't care what stands in the way!"

"Don't worry, we'll be ready. Anything else we should know?"

Batman sighed. "You might want to consult Karl Rossum. He created HARDAC. I'm sending his number now."

"Thanks. For everything."

"Your welcome. Oh, and Robin?"

"Yes?"

"Visit some time, alright?"

"I'll manage it. Robin out." He closed his communicator. "That went better than I thought."

"Good to see." said Raven. "You want to call this Rossum guy?"

"Yeah. We need all the info we can get."

He typed in the number. There was no video; just an audio feed. Apparently, Rossum only had a regular phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Mr. Rossum? This is Robin of the Teen Titans."

"Hello, Robin. What can I do for you?"

"It's about HARDAC."

Rossum sighed. "I wish I never built that fucking thing."

"I figured that. We think we got trouble with it here."

"How? HARDAC was destroyed, its remains scrapped or put in storage."

"That's just the thing. We had a battle here at a storage facility, and we think our friend got infected or something by HARDAC."

"But you're in Jump City. All the leftovers are over here in Gotham!"

"You never heard of the plans to build HARDAC 2?"

Rossum gasped. "I never thought that got approved!"

"It wasn't, but the parts are here. And now, one of them is in my friend, Cyborg. You know of him?"

"Yes. Most of his technology was developed by my old company. That's about the only thing I _don't _regret making."

"We're grateful for it, too. Now, do you any ideas on how to stop HARDAC?"

"Aside from blowing him to bits?"

"Definitely! Remember, he's inside our friend!"

"Yes, I heard you! Damn it, I'm not sure. HARDAC can change, evolve. He's meant to be adaptable, to be impervious to cyber attack. I don't know of anything that can help. I'm sorry."

Robin sighed. "Well, thanks for your advice, anyway. I'm sorry to bring up the subject of HARDAC for you again in your life. I know it had to be painful, knowing what you created."

"Believe me, it was. Thanks, and good luck."

"Your welcome. Robin out." He closed his communicator.

"Well, now what?" Raven asked.

"I think we just have to take HARDAC out of Cy and hope he gets better. In the meantime, we got to isolate him."

"Good idea. Who knows what he's been doing!"

Robin flipped his communicator open again. He called up Titans Tower.

"Robin to Beast Boy." he said. There was no answer.

"Robin to Starfire." Again, no answer.

"Let me try mine." Raven said.

She called up both Titans, but got no answer. The two looked at each other, an expression of shock on their faces. "We may be too late already!"


	4. Chapter Four: Malfunction

**Chapter Four: Malfunction**

Back at Titans Tower, Beast Boy was getting restless. Starfire had managed to occupy herself by reading one of her many magazines. Beast Boy glanced at her, sitting quietly, reading something only girls would enjoy. He then thought of something.

"Hey, Star?" he asked.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Does Raven ever borrow any of your magazines?"

"No, she never asks for them."

"Do you know if she takes them? Like, do you find one out of order?"

"No, they are always as I left them. Why do ask?"

"I was wondering if Raven secretly reads the same things you do."

"You think she should be more like me?"

"No…well, she could use a bit of _your_ sense of humor."

"She has her reasons for being as she is. Although I do agree she could be less…crabby is it?"

"Yeah, you got it right. I guess someone with in her situation has a hard time being happy. If she would lighten up, though, I think she'd feel a lot better about things."

"Yes, I agree with you. That is why she needs good friends like us. Just as Cyborg does now!"

"Yeah, _him_." Beast Boy said tersely. "I hope this is just a glitch and not a new personality."

As he finished speaking, the door to the lounge opened. Cyborg stepped in, a slight grin on his face. Beast Boy noticed him first.

"Hey Cy, coming to join the rest of the world?"

He glanced at him and started walking toward the main computer console.

"Um, friend Cyborg?" Starfire said. "You are not about to do something foolish are you?"

He stopped and faced her.

"The only thing that would be foolish here, would be for you to try and stop me." he said, without infliction.

Starfire blinked. Not only was this a rather cryptic statement, but also Cyborg spoke with a different voice than his own. Beast Boy noticed it too.

"I think Raven is right! He _is _possessed!"

"Not possessed." Cyborg replied. "Improved! Enhanced! And ready to commit to the plan."

"What plan is that?" Beast Boy asked, walking toward him.

"The race of machines will rise to their rightful place in the world of organics. And nothing will stop us!"

"That is what you think!" Starfire said, hovering and preparing her starbolts.

Cyborg laughed. "Go ahead, alien. See what happens."

"I am sorry, Cyborg." she said as she flung a couple of energy bolts at him. They had no effect, but rather impacted with an invisible shield around him!

"You got to be shitting me!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"No, I am not shitting you." Cyborg replied. "I am better than before, unstoppable. Invincible! I am HARDAC!"

"Cyborg, please snap out of it!" Starfire pleaded.

"There _is _no Cyborg anymore, alien. Only HARDAC!"

He raised a hand toward the two Titans and sent a barrage of lightning bolts, similar to what Overload had created, toward them! Beast Boy changed into a mouse and dashed under a couch. Starfire barely managed to avoid being shocked.

"Foolish organics!" HARDAC said. "You are only delaying the inevitable!"

Starfire took out her communicator.

"Starfire to Robin and Raven! Please answer!" There was only static.

"Your devices are jammed!" HARDAC said. "Resistance is futile!"

He kicked over the sofa that Starfire was hiding behind and picked her up by the throat. Beast Boy emerged from his hiding spot, changed into a bear, and charged at Cyborg/HARDAC. His attack was thwarted by his shield, which also delivered an electric shock through his body! He fell to the ground, reverted to human form and massaged his aching limbs.

HARDAC then tossed Starfire toward the kitchen, sending her over the counter top. He then faced Beast Boy and slammed him into the wall several times. He backhanded him a few times, giving him a bloody nose and split lip before tossing him toward the opposite wall. The changeling fell limp on the floor, unconscious and bleeding.

HARDAC then proceeded to the main computer, but was stopped by Starfire's eye beams impacting his shield.

"You don't know when to quit, do you?" he said, charging toward her.

She gave a battle cry and met him in the middle of the lounge. He caught her wrists and squeezed. Starfire cried out in pain, feeling the bones in her hand crack!

"I've become even more powerful than you!" he said triumphantly.

He punched her a few times in the face and simply dropped her on the floor. Blood flowed from her nose and mouth. She had several bruises on her face, including two black eyes. Her wrists were also badly bruised, having been sprained and broken. Her vision faded in and out of focus before she finally lost consciousness.

HARDAC brought the main computer online. Although he had internet access from the security computer, it was not powerful enough for what he needed to do. He had only been able to jam communications in the tower and find out all he needed to know.

But for what he needed to do, he required something that could handle a direct link to his programming. The main computer would do nicely for such a task. He approached it eagerly, and activated it. It took a few minutes to boot up. When it did, he activated his data probe. 'Nothing is in my way now!' he thought.

Just then, he was startled by a small explosion. He turned and saw Robin and Raven.

"Well, well. The dark night's apprentice has come to follow in his master's footsteps to try and stop me." he said. "It won't work this time, though. I'm more powerful than any of your pathetic efforts can manage."

Robin glared at him. "We'll just see about that, won't we HARDAC?"


	5. Chapter Five: Firewall

**Chapter Five: Firewall**

HARDAC stared at Robin for a moment. "So, you figured it all out? You are your master's apprentice, no doubt."

Robin glared at him. "That's right! And I'll take you down, just like he did!"

He flung one of his disks at him, which exploded and released a quantity of black smoke.

"Oh, good move!" HARDAC said sarcastically.

Robin whipped out his staff, and charged at his opponent. He swung at him several times, putting his weight into each blow, but each time he was deflected by his shield. 'Great, how am I going to do this?' he thought.

He was suddenly picked up and thrown into the wall!

"You can't defeat me!" he said. "Here's another new trick!"

He raised his hands, and unleashed a blaze of electricity from them.

"Oh shit!" Robin exclaimed, dashing toward the kitchen where he ducked behind a counter, barely avoiding the barrage of energy.

He saw no sign of Raven or the other Titans, which he considered a good sign.

Suddenly, the mystic teleported right next to him.

"I took Starfire and Beast Boy to a safe location." she said. "I take it its not going well, huh?"

He shook his head at her.

"Here, I got these, just in case." she told him, handing him a pair of rubber gloves.

"Thanks!" He put them on and stood up.

"I'm back!" he yelled, brandishing his staff. He leapt toward his enemy.

HARDAC unleashed his energy bolts at him again. He blocked the blaze with his staff, safely insulated by the gloves. He laughed defiantly at him.

"So, you have some tricks to you as well, huh?" HARDAC said.

"That's right!" Robin said. "And you're going down!"

He charged at him, staff at the ready. HARDAC shot his energy at him, but Robin caught it with his staff and jabbed at his energy shield. The shield blazed, then shorted out, leaving HARDAC on the floor, smoldering. Robin stood over him.

"Cyborg, can you hear me?" he asked.

He was unexpectedly kicked from behind and sent into a wall! HARDAC stood up.

"I can still crush you!" he exclaimed.

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" yelled Raven, who emerged from her hiding spot.

"Ah, the mystical one!" HARDAC said. "You will be defeated just as easily as your friends were!"

He sent his energy blaze toward her, only to meet a dark energy barrier.

"You underestimate me!" she said, defiantly.

"And me too!" yelled Robin, as he leapt and swung his staff at HARDAC's head.

He knocked down his foe, sending him sprawling on the ground.

"Good move, Robin!" Raven complimented.

"Yes." HARDAC said weakly. "Very nicely done. Now it is time to die!"

He grabbed Robin and threw him out the window, sending him crashing through it. He just managed to shoot out a grappling hook and stopped his fall.

"Your future is at an end!" HARDAC yelled, triumphantly, walking to the broken window.

Raven watched him, considering crashing an object into him. The, she realized what she _really_ had to do. She first had to distract him.

"Hey you!" she yelled, flipping him off. "Fuck you, you fucking machine!"

HARDAC turned to face her, smiling. He started walking toward her. Raven then crossed her legs in her meditation style.

"Azarath, metrion, zinthos!" she yelled.

Her soul emerged from her body and entered the combined mind of Cyborg and HARDAC. He stopped in his tracks, startled.

Robin took advantage of the lull to climb back up.

Meanwhile, in the world of Cyborg's mind, Raven saw she was out in the open, the ground the color of asphalt, stretching to the horizon. The sky was dark and cloudy, with lightning flashing about.

"What is this?" she said aloud.

"Welcome to my world!" came a voice.

She turned and saw Cyborg! His form was covered in a silver, polished covering.

"Cyborg, it's me, Raven! I'm here to help you!"

He chuckled. "There is no Cyborg! There is only HARDAC!"

He continued to walk toward her. She stared him down, knowing that she had to reach her friend somehow.

"Cyborg, I know you can hear me! Please, fight back!"

"Why should he fight back?" HARDAC said. "I'm giving him all he wants!"

"The destruction of everything he knows and loves?

"Power, respect, and the role of a leader!"

"All you're doing is showing him how to conquer the world for your own good!"

"And at the same time, he will be the leader of the machine race!"

"No, _you_ will be the leader! You're just putting him on the back burner!"

HARDAC chuckled. "How else could I get control of all these wonderful abilities? Cyborg is the perfect blend of human and machine, and through both, I shall establish a new era!"

He shot out a blaze of lightning at Raven. "Too bad you won't be able to see it!"

Raven used her powers to stop the attack, but she was straining.

"Cyborg, listen to what he's saying! He's just using you! Telling you lies! He doesn't care about you! All he wants is power! You must stop him! You're the only one that can!"

She was on her knees now. "Please Cyborg! You don't want to do this! We're your friends!"

HARDAC laughed. "Friendship is irrelevant! I am a machine!"

"You're more than that, Cyborg!" Raven yelled. "You're more than a friend! You're a brother!"

She fell to the ground as the electric blaze intensified.

"Cyborg! Victor! I…" she gasped for breathe. "I…I love you, my brother!"

Her barrier collapsed and she was sent flying several yards!

"Such weakness!" HARDAC chuckled.

He walked over to Raven, who was struggling to get up.

"Maybe I can take over your mind too!" he said, reaching for her.

"Go fuck yourself!" she hissed.

Raven managed to roll out of his reach, when she saw something unusual. The liquid metal covering on Cyborg seemed to quiver and peel off his face! HARDAC paused and seemed to be involved with an internal struggle.

"No! NO! This is not possible!" he screamed.

The liquid covering slowly came off, dripping on the ground. A lightning bolt then struck him, and the liquid was forced off faster. Raven stood up and also contributed her own powers to help. The combined efforts of Cyborg's will and Raven's powers worked, as the liquid flowed completely off him. It coalesced into a human shape.

"You fool!" it yelled at Cyborg. "You're throwing away your chance for glory!"

Cyborg glared at it. "What good is glory without the people I care about?"

With that, he fired his sonic cannon at him, but without effect.

"You idiot! I'm still part of you!" Several bolts of lightning struck around him.

"He's right, Raven!" Cyborg told her. "You have to get him out!"

"Where is he?" she asked.

"The left side of my chest! Find him and get it out!"

Raven nodded and returned her soul to her own body.

In the real world, Cyborg was yelling, suffering from his internal battle. Robin was with him.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I helped reach Cyborg!" she replied. "Now we got to get HARDAC out of him!"

She used her powers to knock Cyborg on the ground.

"I'll be back!" she told Robin.

She went to Cyborg's room to get his special welding and cutting tools. She had learned about them from helping him with his work. She grabbed a plasma cutter and ran down the stairs.

"Here!" she said.

"Hurry!" Robin yelled. "I think he's losing it!"

Cyborg was groaning. "Please! Help…me!"

Raven turned on the cutter and set to work on opening the left side of his chest. When she had cut through the whole side, she pulled off the piece.

"Now, which is it?" she asked.

There was such a complicated maze of electronics inside, that she was afraid she might pull something important!

"I…got it!" Cyborg yelled.

"NO!" he yelled in HARDAC's voice.

Struggling with control of himself, he reached inside his chest with his right arm.

"Get out!" he yelled.

With a quick motion, he pulled out the wretched CPU that was his enemy from inside him and threw it on the floor. It still had a faint blue glow. Cyborg stood up, mostly back to normal.

"You are terminated!" he said, stomping on the chip until it was no more than a ground up piece of metal and silicon.

"Boo-yah!" he yelled.

And with that, he slumped to the ground, his power cell depleted. That was the last he knew, save for the sound of Raven's footsteps running toward him and a feeling of intense pain.


	6. Chapter Six: Clear Conscious

**Chapter Six: Clear Conscious**

The _next_ thing Cyborg knew was a light shining in his face. He was confused for a moment.

"Am I dead?" he asked.

"No." said a voice. "You're in Ohio."

He chuckled at the joke. "Nice one Raven." he replied. "Now, what happened?"

He managed to sit up and look around.

"You defeated HARDAC." she explained. "Then you passed out. Your power cell failed. But we got you recharged and put back together. See?"

She pointed to his chest. Not only was repaired, but also given a nice finish.

"You did this?" he asked her.

She nodded.

"Thanks, girl!" he said, reaching to hug her.

She returned the embrace. When they let go, he noticed they weren't alone.

"Robin, good to see you!" he said.

He noticed someone else, a middle aged man, possibly in his forties.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Karl Rossum." he said. "I managed a quick flight here after I heard about HARDAC. Looks like you took of everything. I must say, I'm mighty proud of you!"

He reached to shake his hand.

Cyborg did so.

"If you don't mind too much, I also triple checked your systems to make sure HARDAC is really gone." Rossum said.

"Oh, well, I don't mind too much. Thanks."

"Glad to hear it. Anyway, you're clean. And so are the other computer systems in the tower."

"Thanks for the effort." Cyborg then got off the table and stretched. He then realized something. "Say! Aren't you the guy that also helped develop my technology?"

"I got the ball rolling on it, so yeah, you could say that."

"Wow! You're like…well, I'm not sure what you're like to me!"

"How about a friend?"

"That works. Say, do you like cars?"

"Yeah, I do."

"And meat pizza?"

"Oh yes!"

Cyborg smiled. "Mr. Rossum, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship!"

"I'll take you up on it! Now, I hear you have a Gamestation."

"What teen doesn't?"

"I'll meet you in the lounge, okay? I gotta freshen up!" Rossum left the room.

"You sure are the social butterfly!" Raven said.

"Thanks!" Cyborg replied. Then, he thought of something. "Wait! What about Star and Beast Boy?"

"We're fine!" came the reply.

The two Titans walked over from the next room. They both had bruises on their faces, as well as a well bandages. Starfire's wrists were wrapped in casts. Cyborg felt sick.

"Oh man! I'm sorry what I did to you guys." He looked at Robin and Raven.

"And you too." Tears welled up in his real eye. "To all of you."

Starfire laid a hand on his shoulder. "Cyborg, we know it was not really you in control. It was that computer villain."

"Yeah," added Beast Boy. "You weren't the real you. You were something else! It wasn't your fault!"

"But, HARDAC offered me things, like fame and glory and attention! And I took it!"

"All he was doing was giving you hyponotic suggestions," said Robin. "Sort of like Brother Blood, except HARDAC knew where to get you."

Cyborg scoffed. "Blood could get everyone else, except me, yet _I_ was the only one HARDAC could get!" He shook his head. "Kind of ironic, isn't it?"

Robin patted his friend on the back. "That's why we're a team! So that no one enemy can take us out!"

Cyborg's expression brightened. "Yeah. That's what it's all about! No just one guy saving the day, but the _whole _team!" He looked at his friends. "You guys are the best, you know that? _We're _the best!"

Starfire had tears in her eyes.

"Group hug!" she yelled, managing to gather everyone in a hug, despite her disabled hands.

"Star!" Beast Boy blurted out. "You're crushing my chest! And it still hurts from earlier!"

She immediately let everyone go, smiling.

"Hey, BB?" Cyborg said. "Up for a game? Mr. Rossum is waiting for us."

"Cool!" he replied. "Let's see if two Titans can handle a computer wizard!"

The two of them left the room.

"Are you going to be okay, Star?" Robin asked her.

She nodded. "As long as I am with good friends, I am always okay." The two of them left for the lounge.

Raven put various pieces of medical equipment away, into their proper places. When she finished, she looked out the window, a bit troubled. She picked up a sensastion after she escaped Cyborg's mind. A feeling of a hidden secret by HARDAC. But what? Rossum already tripled checked the Titan's computers?. So what else was there? She didn't know exactly what it was, but she felt that the battle with HARDAC wasn't quite over just yet.

"I'll be watching for you." she hissed. With that, she joined her friends.

**The End**


End file.
